UPCOMING Peace Actions:
Sacred Peace Walk (Spring 2015)
Justice For Our Desert (Autumn 2015)
RECENT Peace Actions:
Shut Down Creech--A Convergence of Many Groups For Peace
Report Back From Shut Down Creecch
Report Back from Faith-Based Response to Drones Conference
Code Pink Autumn 2014
Justice For Our Desert Autumn 2014
Sacred Peace Walk and Code Pink Demonstrations Spring 2014
COALITIONS:
United Against Drones
Know Drones
Predators and Reapers are remotely controlled, hunter-killer,
remotely piloted aircraft currently operated out
of several bases in the USA (including Creech
Air Force Base in Indian Springs, Nevada). The United States
Air Force flies these for both military and and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) purposes in Iraq, Afghanistan,
Pakistan, and other countries for surveillance, targeting, bombing, and assassination purposes.
The idea that technology can provide a cleaner and
safer battlefield is seductive but has been proven
a lie. From the catapult and crossbow, through the
use of poison gas and airplanes in World War I, the
atom bomb, helicopters and napalm in Vietnam to the "smart
bombs" of the Gulf War, war has only grown deadlier.
Technological advances may reduce the danger of casualties
among the military personnel in the short run, but
with each advance the number of civilian deaths multiplies
and every war of the past century has numbered more
children than soldiers among its victims.
Proponents of the use of UASs insist that there
is a great advantage to fighting wars in "real-time"
(with a 2-second satellite delay from Nevada to the
Middle-East) by pilots sitting at consoles in offices
on air bases far from the dangerous front line of
military activity. With less risk to the lives of
our soldiers and hence to the popularity and careers
of politicians, the deaths of “enemy” noncombatants
by the thousands are counted acceptable. The illusion
that war can be waged with no domestic cost dehumanizes
both us and our enemies. It fosters a callous disregard
for human life that can lead to even more recklessness
on the part of politicians.
With audacity that would confound Orwell, the Pentagon
touts the “true hunter-killer role” of
these robot “drones.” Armed with Hellfire;
missiles and other weaponry, they have names that
suit their lethal uses: the MQ-9 Reaper and the MQ-1
Predator. Such tools can kill but not pacify. By
killing civilians, UAS drones do not prevent or eliminate
terrorism, but instead incite more violence and retaliation.
This webpage has educational and opinion links
regarding this expanding field of warfare. They
are organized along the lines of presentations about
the issue and NDE's work for peace in opposition
to these new killing machines.
See
the interactive video of drone warmaking.
I. Overview: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems (UAV) and the Predator Series Drones
- Drone
force expands to 38 machines constantly in the air
- MQ-9
Reaper MQ-1
Predator List
of UAVs | Wikipedia
- Predator
Strike Videos | U.S. Air Forces Central
- Drone
Wars: The race is on to build the next combat unmanned
aerial vehicle. Brian Wingfield, Forbes,
June 1, 2009
- Point.
Click. Kill: Inside The Air Force's Frantic Unmanned
Reinvention | Popular Science, August 18, 2009
- Drone
Update | NY Times December 2009
II. UAVs, Robots, Legal and Ethical
Implications
- Flying
Blind: U.S. combat drones operate outside international
law. | Mary Ellen O'Connell 3/15/2010
- 'Wired
For War' Explores Robots On The Battlefield | NPR
- P.W.
Singer interview with Amy Goodman | Democracy Now
- P.W.
Singer | The Daily Show | Comedy Central
- US
Raising Status of Drone Pilots | Chicago Tribune,
June 10, 2009
- State
of Nevada - Robots on the Battlefield | mp3: Download
P.W. Singer, author and Senior Fellow and Director of
the 21st Century Defense Initiative, Brookings Institute
... on whether nations could be more likely to go to
war if robots continue to replace humans on and above
the battlefield.
- Weapons
get smaller, deadlier at China Lake, by Peter Pae,
L.A. Times, April 20, 2009
III. U.S. Strikes Trade Long-Term Potential for Peace for Short-Term Safety of Troops
- UAV "pilots" and Sensor operators can still develop
PTSD and other problems despite remote location far
from battlefield
- Former Drone Pilot Talks Candidly About Attacks | By Alexander Reed Kelly 5/11/2013
- A
Troubling Disconnection | America Magazine By
Maryann Cusimano Love 3/15/2010
- Daily
transition between battle, home takes a toll on
drone operators By Megan McCloskey, Stars
and Stripes Mideast edition, Tuesday, October
27, 2009
KNPR
State of Nevada interview with Megan McCloskey
about this (and the following) article,
Nov. 5, 2009
- Charting
a new Course: Air Force sees culture shift as drone
mission gains momentum By Megan McCloskey, Stars
and Stripes Mideast edition, Tuesday, October
27, 2009
- Predator
pilots' stress far from remote By Scott Lindlaw,
Aug. 08, 2008 Las Vegas Review-Journal
- Loss of honor in eyes of Pashtun and other people
of the region induces counter-attacks for the long run
- TTP
Leader: Lahore Was Retaliation for Drone Strikes,
Eyes US Targets | Anti-War.News, March 31, 2009
- Rival
Taliban Leaders Unite as US widens Pakistan Attacks
| Thaindian News, February 22, 2009
- The
Downside of Letting Robots Do the Bombing |
The New York Times, March 21, 2009
- Psychological effects on communities of being surveiled
(or as in a "panopticon," of knowing one might be watched.
- Filling
the Skies with Assasins | TomDispatch.com
- UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings,
Philip Alston: Record AfPak Drone Attacks Under
Obama May Violate International Law Democracy Now!
interview
by Amy Goodman, Oct. 28, 2009
- Jane Mayer: The Risks Of A Remote-Controlled War
NPR's
Fresh Air interview by Terry Gross, Oct. 21, 2009
The Jane Mayer New
Yorker Article's Abstract that was the occasion
for the interview
IV. Evidently, Drones are
NOT Significantly Better than Carpet-Bombing at Avoiding
Civilian Casualties
- Creech
Pilots Mistakenly Kill Afghan Civilians | AP, 29
May 2010
- The Drone
Dillemma | Newsweek Dec. 2009
- Interactive
Map: Airstrikes in Pakistan on the Rise | Center
for American Progress
- 60
drone hits kill 14 al-Qaeda men, 687 civilians |
VotersForPeace, April 10, 2009
- Threats,
Options, and Risks in Pakistan | By Colin
Cookman | Center for American Progress, March 5,
2009
- Bill
Moyers Journal | Pierre Sprey and Marilyn Young
| PBS, January 30, 2009
- Assessing
the Human Cost of Air Strikes in Iraq | Audio
NPR- Fresh Air with Marc Garlasco, April 8, 2008
V. Contributing to the Destabilization of Pakistan
- CIA
Drone Operators Oppose Strikes as Helping al Qaeda
| InterPressService -June 8, 2010
- Pakistan
dangerously close towards becoming fiefdom of Islamist
warlords, terrorists | Thaindian News - April
17, 2009
- U.S.
expands Pakistani drone-strike zone; 12 dead | Alamgir
Bitani Reuters- April 1, 2009
- Petraeus:
Military Reserves 'Right of Last Resort' for Threats
Inside Pakistan | FoxNews.com- March 30, 2009
- CENTCOM
Advisor gives Pakistan six months before it collapses
- March 23, 2009
- Cost
of air power in Pakistan | Reuters - 20 March 2009
- Qureshi
says US drone strikes are causing alienation in Pakistan
- March 14, 2009
- "US
Missile Strike" Targets Village in Pakistan | Guardian
UK, October 20, 2008
- Revenge of the Drones: An
Analysis of Drone Strikes in Pakistan - October
19, 2009 [Note: See also the Center for American
Progress's interactive map. The research methodology
is very similar but points to more civilian casualties.]
VI. Taking Action
- NDE's Creech 18 webpage | October
2011 Actions
- NDE's
Creech 14 resolution webpage | January 2011
Verdict
- John
Dear's story on Creech 14 | CommonDreams.org Sept.
2010
- Creech
14 Trial; Verdict Delayed | Las Vegas Sun Sept.
2010
- Creech
14 Trial; Verdict Delayed | Las Vegas City Life
BLOG Sept. 2010
-
Creech 14 Trial; Verdict Delayed | Public News Service
Sept. 15, 2010
- Creech
14 Trial; Verdict Delayed | All Voices Sept. 15,
2010
-
Creech 14 Trial; Verdict Delayed | Democracy Now
Sept. 15, 2010
-
Creech 14 Trial; Verdict Delayed | OpEdNews Sept.
16, 2010
-
Creech 14 Trial; Verdict Delayed | One India Sept.
17, 2010
- Kathy
Kelly regarding trial; before trial | on Democracy
Now Sept 13, 2010
- Fasting
For Peace At Creech AFB | Pahrump's
News on the Upcoming Fast
- NDE's
letter to the 432nd Commander
- Syracuse's
letter to the 432nd Commander
- Peter
Ediger's report on the Nellis Air Show
- State
of Nevada (KNPR)- Peace Walk | mp3: Download
Fr. Louie Vitale, Kathy Kelly, & Jim Haber discuss
NDE's Sacred Peace Walk and the Creech AFB and Nevada
Test Site Vigil and Actions
- NDE's
April actions according to Wired :
Creech AFB clashes with NDE; this article has a a good
amount of background on the issue, with good embedded
links.
- Ground
the Drones . . . Lest We Reap the Whirlwind | Vigil
& Action April 1 - 13, 2009
- NDE
Demonstration at Creech AFB | September 2008
- NDE
Letter to the Editor | March 2009
- See Fr. Louie on Democracy Now!:
Tuesday
April 14th 2009
Other Articles & Media
Americas
Undeclared War: Deadly Drone Attacks In Pakistan Reach
Record High | Rick Rozoff 9/10
C.I.A.
Steps Up Drone Attacks on Taliban in Pakistan |
Mazzetti & Schmitt September 27, 2010
C.I.A.
Said to Use Outsiders to Put Bombs on Drones | James
Risen and Mark Mazzetti, NY Times, August 20, 2009
Greg
Mortenson encircles Swat Province, US drones launched
from Baluchistan | Not My Tribe
Google
sleuths secret CIA drone flights from Baluchistan base
| Jeremy Page, The Australian, February 20, 2009
Drones
Are Weapons of Choice in Fighting Qaeda | Christopher
Drew, The New York Times, March 16, 2009
UAVs
protect U.S. troops in Iraq | United Press International,
January 28, 2009
U.S.
Officials: Al-Qaida Leadership Cadre 'Decimated' |
NPR, February 3, 2009
Drone
Attacks In Pakistan Under Review | NPR, February 2,
2009
Sharif
asks Brown to make US shun its drone attack policy
- Apr 28, 2009
Pakistan
to US: Stop unilateral drone attacks - March 27, 2009
Zardari
asks US to honour Pakistan's sovereignty - November
03, 2008
East
Pakistan like situation in Swat: Imran - February
13, 2009
Pakistan's
Islamic party condemns US plan to expand drone attacks
- March 20, 2009
Suspected
US airstrike in Pakistan kills three (Second Lead)
- April 19, 2009
WAR
DRONE KILLERS FLOWN IN NEW MEXICO:
This is a T.V. news report from New Mexico about the increasing
use of bases there for UAV control and training. This
report includes mention of new combat squadrons coming
to Creech AFB in Nevada, necessitating the removal to
other bases, including one near Alamogordo NM, of the
training squadrons that have also been at Creech.
State
of Nevada - Creech Airforce Base | mp3: Download
Colonel Christopher Chambliss, Commander of the 432rd
Wing and 432rd Air Expeditionary Wing, Creech AFB Wing
of the Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) including the Predator
and Reaper "drones" ... on the first air base dedicated
to unmanned planes.
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Air
Force: Bases inject $5 billion | 03/11/2009
Demand
for Predator spy planes continues: Air Force officer predicts
additional need for unmanned aircraft systems
Video | 03/06/2009 (NDE
Editorial)
Drone
Warriors: British, U.S. Reaper operators fly joint Afghanistan
mission | 06/03/2008
Predator
will still fly here: Creech base will see planes, though
most redeployed | 03/26/2008
Predator
focal point of military tug of war | 03/21/2008
Squadron
activated at Creech: Focus will be to fix problems with
unmanned fleet | 03/06/2008
Predator
accidents blamed on crew error | 08/31/2008
Predator
aircraft flies into history: Unmanned spy plane logs 400,000
hours of flight time Video | 08/19/2008
Armed
Predator spy plane crashes in Iraq | 12/18/2007
Pilotless
aircraft's debut nearing: Reaper to be guided from Nellis
to deploy in Iraq, Afghanistan | 07/17/2007
Predator
reaches a milestone | 06/27/2007
Reactivation
creates wing for remote controlled planes: Ceremony at
Creech Air Force Base signals step in spy warfare | 05/02/2007
Las Vegas Sun
Pakistan:
Al-Qaida, Taliban are not in Bluchistan | 03/18/2009
Bombs
kill 15 in Pakistan; US drone reported down | 03/07/2009
US
uses unmanned drones to hunt Somali pirates | 02/15/2009
Taking
off at Creech, a better war plane | 08/29/2007
Commander
named for Predator group | 07/12/2005
Indian
Springs will host drone projects | 03/17/2005
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